A Surprise
by James8
Summary: For a young Legolas it is a night of surprises


Disclaimer: Tolkien owns all. Me no own. Be surprise there.  
  
A Surprise  
  
Legolas wake."  
  
"Come on my little leaf wake up."  
  
Legolas blinked sleepily and looked into the smiling face of his mother. "Nana?"  
  
"Yes Legolas, wake up for me now." His mother moved to the dresser pulling a simple green tunic from from the drawers. "I need you to get dressed."  
  
"Nana is something wrong?"  
  
"No, no." His mother reassured. "Come on, out of bed now."  
  
Legolas crawled out of bed and his mother quickly helped him get dressed. He looked out his window to see that it was still dark out. What was going on?  
  
"Nin melethril is Legolas up?"  
  
Legolas looked over to see his father entering the bedroom. He reached up as his father came over. "Ada."  
  
Thranduil smiled as he reached down to swing his son up atop his shoulders. "My green leaf are we ready?"  
  
"Where are we going?" Legolas asked looking between his parents. Both were dresses unlike they would be if they were going to court. His father wore a cream tunic and grey leggings and his mother wore a simple loose green dress. Neither wore circlets to show their royal titles. Legolas tugged at his father's loose hair with his small hands. "Where are we going?"  
  
"Patience my little leaf." His father responded.  
  
"Did you get it?" His mother asked.  
  
Thranduil arched an eyebrow a grin playing around his mouth. "Of course. In the basket by the door."  
  
His mother picked up a blanket at the bottom of the bed. Thranduil still with Legolas on his shoulders picked up the basket. Nana reached up to take her son's hand as Thranduil quickly lead them down several halls.  
  
It took the young elfling several minutes to realize where they were heading. His mother's garden. It was an walled garden in the center of the palace. No one but the royal family was permitted in the area. The garden had no roof allowing the moonlight and starlight to shine in freely. The scent of flowers was heavy in the night air.   
  
Legolas' mother set the heavy blanket on the ground under the large willow tree in the middle. Thranduil swung Legolas down, the elfling squealing with delight, before the king seated himself on the blanket. Legolas watched with anticpation as his mother sat and began to unpack the basket. His eyes widened in wonder as the sight of many his favorite treats appeared out of the basket.  
  
Thranduil laughed at his son's wide eyed state. He reached over and ruffled the elfling's golden hair. "Merry Begetting Day my little leaf."  
  
Legolas squealed with delight hugging both parents tightly.  
  
"Have a seat Legolas." Naneth laughed. She reached into the basket pulling out a crown weaved with leaves and flowers to place on the elfling's head. Legolas was pleased with the crown. It was similar to the ones his mother weaved for his father. She quickly served out some of the delicacies to the awaiting elves.  
  
After they had finished eating Thranduil pulled out a small flute and began to play. Naneth reached over taking Legolas' hand and lead him in a simple dance. Legolas giggled in delight as his mother swung around. To him his mother was the most beautiful elf in the world. Even more than Luthien of old. He watched as she twirled around the flowers woven in her hair catching the moon shine.  
  
Thranduil stopped playing the flute and Naneth led Legolas back to the blanket. "We have a few presents for you little one."  
  
"What is it Nana?" Legolas asked hopping in delight.  
  
Thranduil chuckled. "Patience."  
  
The king reached behind the willow's trunk removing a large cloth wrapped package. He handed it to the young elfling who quickly set it down and untied the ribbons. Inside the cloth lay a small yew bow identical to his father's. Legolas held the bow in awe letting his hands wander over the delicate ingravings. Also inside was a quiver with five arrows just right for little elven hands. Thranduil strapped the minature quiver onto his son.  
  
"Now before you use this I want you to listen to me." Thranduil took his son's hands as he gazed into the child's eyes somberly. "This is not a toy and I will not have you hurting yourself or another through carelessness. Never aim it at anyone or any creature. You can only use it under the supervision of an adult. I will show you how to take care of it too so you can take care of it yourself. Understand me?"  
  
Legolas nodded. "I promise Ada."  
  
"Good. Now let's show you how to use it."  
  
They practiced for a while using a small target Thranduil set up. By the end of the hour Legolas was hitting the target with a little success.  
  
"That's enough for now." The queen laughed. "We will practice more later. You will tire yourself out at this rate."  
  
"But Nana." Legolas wheedled.  
  
"Listen to your naneth Legolas." Thranduil adomished his son gently. The king turned his attention to the sky as a warm wind rustled the trees of the garden. "I think we are in for a shower."  
  
"Not yet nin melethron." The queen laughed. She held out a hand to her son. "Come sit beside me my little leaf."  
  
Legolas quickly sat beside his mother after setting his bow down on the cloth. The queen pulled out a silver chain from around her neck. She unsnapped it handing it to Legolas settling it around the young princes neck. On the chain was a small delicatly braided silver ring and a much larger gold one carrying the signet of the royal house.  
  
"The silver one is mine given to me when I was your age. I want you to have it. When you're older and you find love you can give it to your wife." The queen explained fingering the silver band.  
  
Thranduil waited a moment before he indicated the other ring. "The gold one was given to me by my father. I believe I was a year or so older than you. It is the ring standing for the royal house, wear it with pride."  
  
"I will, always." Legolas promised tucking the necklace under his tunic.  
  
Thranduil's arms circled around his wife and son pulling them close. Legolas happily snuggled into his parents embrace.  
  
"Today was a good day." Legolas murmured.  
  
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Elvish Translations:  
  
Nana or Naneth: Mom or Mother  
  
Nin melethril : my love(lover) Female  
  
Ada : Dad or Daddy  
  
Nin melethron : my love(lover) Male  
  
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Author's Notes: Sorry this wasn't up sooner but I got sick last week and the medicine the doctor has given me is making me sicker. Oh joy. Understand why I hate doctors. I hadn't really planned on posting this as I'm pretty much confined to my bedroom until I get better and since the computer isn't in my bedroom you get this story since it won't take long to up load.  
  
This story will be of importance later. Sorry if there's mistakes but I didn't have a chance to beta it or anything. I did read about elven children but don't remember it all. I remeber it saying that elven children develop mentally quickly I think it was but it takes time for their bodies to catch up. I will look it up later if anyone knows a good equivilant let me know.  
  
If you haven't guessed by now I LIKE Thranduil. I do not believe him to be an abusive father, strict but not abusive. Anyhow Legolas has his dad wrapped around his little finger. I have read stories were that isn't the case--some of them I do like--but if you haven't figured it out I'm not big on violence.  
  
I also three stories that I have to finish so please no more challenges--AND YOU KNOW WHO I'M TALKING TOO OUT THERE! I won't mention any names. At least until I finish these three then you can challenge away. I will hopefully have these three challenges stories up by the end of the week.  
  
  
  
Before I for get I purposely did NOT give Legolas' mother a name. A) Because I have no idea what to call her and B) Tolkien never menioned it  
  
Okay I think that's it. Well nite.  
  
James  
  
PS: I found the part in the book where Sam tells his children about Arod. I'm sorry I was wrong it's not in Lord of the Rings. It's in The History of The Lord of the Rings: Part Four : The End of the Third Age. The Epilogue XI. ISBN: 0-618-08356-1 Houghton Mifflin.  
  
Sorry about that. 


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